3 Yoga Poses for Grief to Help Find Strength After Loss

Grief can sap your strength.  You may feel like caving in, or maybe that you have lost control over your own life.  But as you begin to move those grief emotions out of the body, you may discover that there is strength inside you that you didn’t realize.  Draw from this well of strength from within to find the courage to move forward in your life.  

These 3 yoga poses can help you breathe fully, open up to possibility and discover the power within.   

1) Mountain Pose

  • Stand tall with your feet a comfortable distance apart. 

  • Press your feet into the mat and notice the power in your legs.  Let your spine be nice and tall; relax your arms by your side. 

  • Close your eyes or softly gaze at the floor.  Breath – inhale through the nose, exhale through the nose. 

  • Imagine yourself as a mountain.  Tap into that inner strength.  Breathe. 

 

2) Woodchopper

  • From Mountain pose, bring your feet a little wider with arms by your side. 

  • Inhale and raise your arms over head, exhale bring your hands together into fists. 

  • Inhale as you raise your fists up to the sky.  Exhale, bend the knees and powerfully extend the clasped hands through the legs as if you are chopping wood.  Slowly rise back up.

  • Release your arms by your side and breathe.

  • Repeat once more.  Notice how you feel.  

  • Give yourself a little hug, feel the strength rise up inside of you.

3) Warrior II Pose is a very powerful pose as it requires balance and steadiness, helping to build both physical and mental strength. Start by standing at the long edge of your mat, legs wide. 

  • Turn the right foot to the right so that it is perpendicular to the front of the mat.  The left foot is parallel to the short edge of the mat. 

  • Bend into the right knee and feel the strength in both legs as you come into a lunge.  Raise your arms up shoulder height and gaze over your right middle fingers. 

  • Allow your breath to help you stay present in the pose.  Notice how the outstretched arms point towards what is behind you but also what is to come in front of you. 

  • Stay in this pose for a few breaths and then switch sides.  

  • Once you’ve completed both sides.  Come back to mountain pose, breathing and observing how you feel.

You may wish to find some relaxation after these powerful poses.  Create a sense of calm and peacefulness with this restorative yoga sequence. 

Want more resources to help you navigate grief and loss? Download the Free Tips for Grief Relief Guide

Susan Andersen